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The POSITIVES Scale:A Method for Assessing Technology
Accessibility in Postsecondary Education
Catherine Fichten, Ph.D., Jennison Asuncion, M.A.Mai Nguyen, B.Sc.Jillian Budd, D.E.C.Maria Barile, M.S.W.Anthony Tibbs, B.Comm.
Adaptech Research Network, Dawson College - Montreal, McGill University, SMBD Jewish General
Presentation at CSUN, March, 2010, San Diego
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OutlineOutline About the Adaptech Research Network Research behind the POSITIVES Scale Presenting the POSITIVES Scale Findings using the POSITIVES Scale For more information
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Adaptech Research NetworkAdaptech Research Network Based at Dawson College in Montreal since 1996 Federally and provincially funded Bilingual, empirical research
Accessibility, availability, utility of ICTs by Canadian postsecondary students with various disabilities
Factors related to academic success of postsecondary students with disabilities
Maintain library of free/inexpensive software
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Adaptech Research Network Adaptech Research Network Current ResearchCurrent Research
Social media use and accessibility by college and university students with disabilities in Canada
Postsecondary education experience of persons with disabilities in Canada
ICTs useful to students with learning disabilities (in primarily French-speaking Quebec)
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POSITIVES Study Background POSITIVES Study Background Goals
Develop a questionnaire to evaluate how well ICT related needs of students with disabilities are being met at colleges and universities POSITIVES Scale
Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale Find out about specialized ICTs students use Explore how well ICT related needs of students with
different disabilities are being met At school, at home, in e-learning contexts
Funding: Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)
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POSITIVES Study MethodPOSITIVES Study Method Recruitment: spring 2007
E-mail discussion lists, project partners, our database of previous participants
Convenience sample n = 1354 university and junior/community college
students with disabilities from all Canadian provinces Online questionnaire, including POSITIVES Scale Pilot-tested and test-retested
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POSITIVES Study: Sample DemographicsPOSITIVES Study: Sample Demographics 456 males, 894 females, 4 did not specify Mean age 28, 72% university, 27% college Self-identification: 1/3 reported 2 or more disabilities
Learning disability / ADD / ADHD 45% Psychological / psychiatric disability 32% Medically related / health problem 19% Mobility impairment 13% Limitation in the use of hands / arms 13% Low vision 9% Neurological impairment 8% Hard of hearing 7% Speech / communication impairment 3% Totally blind 2% Deaf 1% PDD 1%
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POSITIVES Study: Specialized Technology Used POSITIVES Study: Specialized Technology Used Rank order
Software that improves writing quality 65% Software that reads what is on the screen 23% Scanning and optical character recognition 17% Dictation software 16% Software that enlarges what is on the screen 15% Large screen monitor 11% Alternative mouse 8% Adapted keyboard 3% Refreshable Braille display 2%
Breakdown of technologies used by students in the 11 disability categories available on request
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POSITIVES Scale: POSITIVES Scale: Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative ScalePostsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale Purpose
Give students with disabilities a voice Give postsecondary personnel a tool Give decision-makers data to guide policy & practice
Can be completed online, Word file, on paper 6-point scale: 1=strongly disagree, 6=strongly agree,
and not applicable 3 Subscales
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POSITIVES Scale: Subscale 1POSITIVES Scale: Subscale 1 Subscale 1- ICTs at school meet student's needs
12 items including There is at least one person on staff at my school
who has expertise in adaptive hardware and software The physical access to computer technologies at my
school meets my needs When I approach staff at my institution with problems
related to the accessibility of computer technologies on campus they act quickly to resolve any issues
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POSITIVES Scale: Subscale 2POSITIVES Scale: Subscale 2 Subscale 2 - ICTs at home meet student's needs 5 items including
My personal computer technologies are sufficiently up-to-date to meet my needs
Training available off campus on how to use computer technologies meets my needs
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POSITIVES Scale: Subscale 3POSITIVES Scale: Subscale 3 Subscale 3 - E-learning ICTs meet student's needs
9 items including The availability of electronic format course materials
meets my needs When professors use e-learning, it is accessible to me Distance education courses offered by my institution
are accessible to me
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POSITIVES Scale: Scoring & PropertiesPOSITIVES Scale: Scoring & Properties Developed to be easy to score
Subscales: average single item scores for each subscale Total: average all single item scores
4 week test-retest reliability Subscales = .73 to .79, Total score = .81
Internal consistency: Cronbach's alpha Subscales = .79 to .91, Total score= .94
Validity Logically related to criterion items
Items and norms available in handout
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POSITIVES Study: FindingsPOSITIVES Study: Findings Students say these work very well
School’s web pages are accessible School’s interactive online services are accessible How to use needed computer technologies Availability of electronic format course materials Accessibility of the library's computer systems Staff at school with adaptive technology expertise
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POSITIVES Study: FindingsPOSITIVES Study: Findings Students have concerns about
Availability of computers with adaptive software/hardware in specialized laboratories
Institutional ICT loan programs Funding for ICTs for personal use Training, both on and off campus Technical support off campus
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More InformationMore Information Adaptech Research Network: www.adaptech.org Email
Catherine Fichten: [email protected] Jennison Asuncion: [email protected]
